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25 Kitchen shortcuts

Reduce your time in the kitchen by following these helpful kitchen shortcuts compiled by Reader's Digest.

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Updated: 9:13 AM MDT Aug 22, 2016

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25 Kitchen shortcuts

1 of 26

2 of 26

Use an empty water bottle to separate egg whites and yokes

Crack your egg into a bowl, then take an empty water bottle and place the opening of it near the yolk. Gently squeeze the bottle, and when you release the squeeze the yolk of the egg will be sucked up into the bottle. You can now take the yolk and squeeze it into another empty bowl.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Amada44

3 of 26

Use a bundt pan to cut corn

Use a bundt pan to easily remove corn from the cob by standing the cob upright in the center of the pan and runnning a knife downward along the sides to remove the kernals. The kernals will land in the bund pan, making one less thing you'll have to clean up.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Dbenbenn

4 of 26

Skip rinsing your pasta

When you rinse your cooked pasta you will remove flavor along with natural starches that will help the sauce stick. Skip the washing of your pasta and place it on a pan to cool.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Liveon001

5 of 26

Re-purpose a broken cake

If you're cake has broken you can turn it into a trifle by layering pieces of the salvaged cake in between whipped cream and fresh fruit in a glass bowl.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Black Stripe

6 of 26

Keep your counters clean using a baking sheet

If possible do your food prep on a baking sheet to help catch spills and to keep your counters fresh and clean.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: Veganbaking.net

7 of 26

Use a pizza wheel to chop herbs

For a faster way of mincing herbs roll a pizza wheel over the herbs for a safer slice.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

8 of 26

Use a large bowl for a temporary trashcan while cooking

If you're cooking in the kitchen and the trashcan is not easily accessible, place a large bowl on the counter and line it with a plastic bag. Place all of your scraps and other garbage into the bowl as you cook, then simply take the bag out and place it in the trashcan when you are finished preparing your food.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: dwstucke

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9 of 26

Use salt to make hard-boiled eggs easier to peel

If you place a teaspoon of salt in the water you're boiling your eggs in, the eggshells will remove much easier.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: ProjectManhattan

10 of 26

Clean a blender without a sponge

For an easier way to clean your blender, fill it one-third of the way with warm water, and then use a few drops of dish-washing liquid. Run the blender for ten seconds, rinse, then dry and you are done!

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Chris 73

11 of 26

Make homemade bread crumbs quickly

If you have frozen hot dog or hamburger buns, then them into pieces and pulse them ten to twenty times in the food processor and you will have ready-to-use bread crumbs.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: El Gran Dee

12 of 26

Use the microwave to get the most juice out of your lemon

Place your lemon in the microwave for ten seconds to help break down cells and make the lemon easier to juice.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: wwarby

13 of 26

Use a cheese grater for your homemade pie crusts

Instead of cutting the butter into your flour mixture, grate your frozen butter on a cheese grater, then mix that with the flour until a crumbly mixture forms.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Emj

14 of 26

Freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays for use in recipes

If you have leftover wine, freeze it in an ice cube tray for the next time you have a recipe that calls for wine. Eight ice cubs are equal to one cup of liquid.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Gmhofmann

15 of 26

Flip your natural peanut butter upside down

Instead of stirring your natural peanut butter each time you want to use it, flip the jar upside down in your cupboard and the pool of oil normally located at the top will move throught the rest of the jar. Make sure that the cap is screwed on tight before you do this to avoid a mess.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: PiccoloNamek

16 of 26

Use your porch to refrigerate during special occasions

If you're hosting a party or gathering and your fridge is filled with food you would not normally have, you can use your porch to refrigerate hardy perishables as long as the temperature is 40F or below outside. Place the perishables in a cooler and put it outside for a quick solution.

PHOTO: Pixabay

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17 of 26

New uses for leftover Doritos

Take your leftover Doritos and smash them and place in a clean pepper mill and you will have a new flavor that you can grind onto anything you want.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Scott Ehardt

18 of 26

Use your kitchen scissors whenever possible

Use your kitchen scissors to chop cooked or tender raw vegetables right into the bowl or pan.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

19 of 26

Halve your cherry tomatoes faster

Save yourself time and find two similarly sized storage container lids and place all of your cherry tomatoes between them. Holding the top lid firmly on top of the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to slice through all of the tomatoes at once.

PHOTO: Pixabay

20 of 26

Apple cutters can slice potatoes

End up with perfectly sized wedges by using an apple slicer to cut through your potatoes.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: rosmary

21 of 26

Soften ice cream that is too hard to scoop

Heat an ice cream scoop under hot water and use that to scoop your ice cream when it is too frozen.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

22 of 26

Defrost meat at the last minute

Take your frozen meat and place it in a plastic bag, then place it on top of an upside-down aluminum pot. Take another aluminum post and fill it with room temperature water, and set that on top of the meat. In roughly five to ten minutes your meat will be defrosted.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: U.S. Department of Agriculture

23 of 26

Cut away mold

If you find mold on firm foods such as cheese, peppers, or carrots, it's generally ok to cut the mold and about another inch of food off and it will be safe to eat.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Myrabella

24 of 26

Quickly chop strawberries with an egg slicer

An egg slicer can be used for much more than just slicing eggs. Take your strawberries and place them in the slicer for a quickly and easy slice.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Donovan Govan

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25 of 26

Use the top of a mason jar for easy fried eggs

If you want perfectly round fried eggs, spray mason jar rings with cooking spray, then place them on a heated pan and crack your egg into each of the rings. Use tongs to remove the mason jar rings when the eggs are finished cooking to your liking.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: FiveRings

26 of 26

Make a personal sized french toast in the microwave

In the bottom of a coffee mug rub a small pat of butter, then fill the mug to the top with chopped bread. In a separate cup mix together one egg, three tablespoons of milk and a dash of cinnamon then pour that mixture into the chopped bread mug and microwave for a minute.

Crack your egg into a bowl, then take an empty water bottle and place the opening of it near the yolk. Gently squeeze the bottle, and when you release the squeeze the yolk of the egg will be sucked up into the bottle. You can now take the yolk and squeeze it into another empty bowl.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Amada44

Use a bundt pan to cut corn

Use a bundt pan to easily remove corn from the cob by standing the cob upright in the center of the pan and runnning a knife downward along the sides to remove the kernals. The kernals will land in the bund pan, making one less thing you'll have to clean up.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Dbenbenn

Skip rinsing your pasta

When you rinse your cooked pasta you will remove flavor along with natural starches that will help the sauce stick. Skip the washing of your pasta and place it on a pan to cool.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Liveon001

Re-purpose a broken cake

If you're cake has broken you can turn it into a trifle by layering pieces of the salvaged cake in between whipped cream and fresh fruit in a glass bowl.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Black Stripe

Keep your counters clean using a baking sheet

If possible do your food prep on a baking sheet to help catch spills and to keep your counters fresh and clean.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: Veganbaking.net

Use a pizza wheel to chop herbs

For a faster way of mincing herbs roll a pizza wheel over the herbs for a safer slice.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

Use a large bowl for a temporary trashcan while cooking

If you're cooking in the kitchen and the trashcan is not easily accessible, place a large bowl on the counter and line it with a plastic bag. Place all of your scraps and other garbage into the bowl as you cook, then simply take the bag out and place it in the trashcan when you are finished preparing your food.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: dwstucke

Use salt to make hard-boiled eggs easier to peel

If you place a teaspoon of salt in the water you're boiling your eggs in, the eggshells will remove much easier.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: ProjectManhattan

Clean a blender without a sponge

For an easier way to clean your blender, fill it one-third of the way with warm water, and then use a few drops of dish-washing liquid. Run the blender for ten seconds, rinse, then dry and you are done!

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Chris 73

Make homemade bread crumbs quickly

If you have frozen hot dog or hamburger buns, then them into pieces and pulse them ten to twenty times in the food processor and you will have ready-to-use bread crumbs.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: El Gran Dee

Use the microwave to get the most juice out of your lemon

Place your lemon in the microwave for ten seconds to help break down cells and make the lemon easier to juice.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: wwarby

Use a cheese grater for your homemade pie crusts

Instead of cutting the butter into your flour mixture, grate your frozen butter on a cheese grater, then mix that with the flour until a crumbly mixture forms.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Emj

Freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays for use in recipes

If you have leftover wine, freeze it in an ice cube tray for the next time you have a recipe that calls for wine. Eight ice cubs are equal to one cup of liquid.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Gmhofmann

Flip your natural peanut butter upside down

Instead of stirring your natural peanut butter each time you want to use it, flip the jar upside down in your cupboard and the pool of oil normally located at the top will move throught the rest of the jar. Make sure that the cap is screwed on tight before you do this to avoid a mess.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: PiccoloNamek

Use your porch to refrigerate during special occasions

If you're hosting a party or gathering and your fridge is filled with food you would not normally have, you can use your porch to refrigerate hardy perishables as long as the temperature is 40F or below outside. Place the perishables in a cooler and put it outside for a quick solution.

PHOTO: Pixabay

New uses for leftover Doritos

Take your leftover Doritos and smash them and place in a clean pepper mill and you will have a new flavor that you can grind onto anything you want.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Scott Ehardt

Use your kitchen scissors whenever possible

Use your kitchen scissors to chop cooked or tender raw vegetables right into the bowl or pan.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

Halve your cherry tomatoes faster

Save yourself time and find two similarly sized storage container lids and place all of your cherry tomatoes between them. Holding the top lid firmly on top of the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to slice through all of the tomatoes at once.

PHOTO: Pixabay

Apple cutters can slice potatoes

End up with perfectly sized wedges by using an apple slicer to cut through your potatoes.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: rosmary

Soften ice cream that is too hard to scoop

Heat an ice cream scoop under hot water and use that to scoop your ice cream when it is too frozen.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

Defrost meat at the last minute

Take your frozen meat and place it in a plastic bag, then place it on top of an upside-down aluminum pot. Take another aluminum post and fill it with room temperature water, and set that on top of the meat. In roughly five to ten minutes your meat will be defrosted.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Cut away mold

If you find mold on firm foods such as cheese, peppers, or carrots, it's generally ok to cut the mold and about another inch of food off and it will be safe to eat.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Myrabella

Quickly chop strawberries with an egg slicer

An egg slicer can be used for much more than just slicing eggs. Take your strawberries and place them in the slicer for a quickly and easy slice.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Donovan Govan

Use the top of a mason jar for easy fried eggs

If you want perfectly round fried eggs, spray mason jar rings with cooking spray, then place them on a heated pan and crack your egg into each of the rings. Use tongs to remove the mason jar rings when the eggs are finished cooking to your liking.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: FiveRings

Make a personal sized french toast in the microwave

In the bottom of a coffee mug rub a small pat of butter, then fill the mug to the top with chopped bread. In a separate cup mix together one egg, three tablespoons of milk and a dash of cinnamon then pour that mixture into the chopped bread mug and microwave for a minute.

Crack your egg into a bowl, then take an empty water bottle and place the opening of it near the yolk. Gently squeeze the bottle, and when you release the squeeze the yolk of the egg will be sucked up into the bottle. You can now take the yolk and squeeze it into another empty bowl.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Amada44

Use a bundt pan to cut corn

Use a bundt pan to easily remove corn from the cob by standing the cob upright in the center of the pan and runnning a knife downward along the sides to remove the kernals. The kernals will land in the bund pan, making one less thing you'll have to clean up.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Dbenbenn

Skip rinsing your pasta

When you rinse your cooked pasta you will remove flavor along with natural starches that will help the sauce stick. Skip the washing of your pasta and place it on a pan to cool.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Liveon001

Re-purpose a broken cake

If you're cake has broken you can turn it into a trifle by layering pieces of the salvaged cake in between whipped cream and fresh fruit in a glass bowl.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Black Stripe

Keep your counters clean using a baking sheet

If possible do your food prep on a baking sheet to help catch spills and to keep your counters fresh and clean.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: Veganbaking.net

Use a pizza wheel to chop herbs

For a faster way of mincing herbs roll a pizza wheel over the herbs for a safer slice.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

Use a large bowl for a temporary trashcan while cooking

If you're cooking in the kitchen and the trashcan is not easily accessible, place a large bowl on the counter and line it with a plastic bag. Place all of your scraps and other garbage into the bowl as you cook, then simply take the bag out and place it in the trashcan when you are finished preparing your food.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: dwstucke

Use salt to make hard-boiled eggs easier to peel

If you place a teaspoon of salt in the water you're boiling your eggs in, the eggshells will remove much easier.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: ProjectManhattan

Clean a blender without a sponge

For an easier way to clean your blender, fill it one-third of the way with warm water, and then use a few drops of dish-washing liquid. Run the blender for ten seconds, rinse, then dry and you are done!

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Chris 73

Make homemade bread crumbs quickly

If you have frozen hot dog or hamburger buns, then them into pieces and pulse them ten to twenty times in the food processor and you will have ready-to-use bread crumbs.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: El Gran Dee

Use the microwave to get the most juice out of your lemon

Place your lemon in the microwave for ten seconds to help break down cells and make the lemon easier to juice.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: wwarby

Use a cheese grater for your homemade pie crusts

Instead of cutting the butter into your flour mixture, grate your frozen butter on a cheese grater, then mix that with the flour until a crumbly mixture forms.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Emj

Freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays for use in recipes

If you have leftover wine, freeze it in an ice cube tray for the next time you have a recipe that calls for wine. Eight ice cubs are equal to one cup of liquid.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Gmhofmann

Flip your natural peanut butter upside down

Instead of stirring your natural peanut butter each time you want to use it, flip the jar upside down in your cupboard and the pool of oil normally located at the top will move throught the rest of the jar. Make sure that the cap is screwed on tight before you do this to avoid a mess.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: PiccoloNamek

Use your porch to refrigerate during special occasions

If you're hosting a party or gathering and your fridge is filled with food you would not normally have, you can use your porch to refrigerate hardy perishables as long as the temperature is 40F or below outside. Place the perishables in a cooler and put it outside for a quick solution.

PHOTO: Pixabay

New uses for leftover Doritos

Take your leftover Doritos and smash them and place in a clean pepper mill and you will have a new flavor that you can grind onto anything you want.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Scott Ehardt

Use your kitchen scissors whenever possible

Use your kitchen scissors to chop cooked or tender raw vegetables right into the bowl or pan.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

Halve your cherry tomatoes faster

Save yourself time and find two similarly sized storage container lids and place all of your cherry tomatoes between them. Holding the top lid firmly on top of the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to slice through all of the tomatoes at once.

PHOTO: Pixabay

Apple cutters can slice potatoes

End up with perfectly sized wedges by using an apple slicer to cut through your potatoes.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: rosmary

Soften ice cream that is too hard to scoop

Heat an ice cream scoop under hot water and use that to scoop your ice cream when it is too frozen.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Evan-Amos

Defrost meat at the last minute

Take your frozen meat and place it in a plastic bag, then place it on top of an upside-down aluminum pot. Take another aluminum post and fill it with room temperature water, and set that on top of the meat. In roughly five to ten minutes your meat will be defrosted.

PHOTO: Flickr Creative Commons: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Cut away mold

If you find mold on firm foods such as cheese, peppers, or carrots, it's generally ok to cut the mold and about another inch of food off and it will be safe to eat.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Myrabella

Quickly chop strawberries with an egg slicer

An egg slicer can be used for much more than just slicing eggs. Take your strawberries and place them in the slicer for a quickly and easy slice.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Donovan Govan

Use the top of a mason jar for easy fried eggs

If you want perfectly round fried eggs, spray mason jar rings with cooking spray, then place them on a heated pan and crack your egg into each of the rings. Use tongs to remove the mason jar rings when the eggs are finished cooking to your liking.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: FiveRings

Make a personal sized french toast in the microwave

In the bottom of a coffee mug rub a small pat of butter, then fill the mug to the top with chopped bread. In a separate cup mix together one egg, three tablespoons of milk and a dash of cinnamon then pour that mixture into the chopped bread mug and microwave for a minute.

PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons: Mk2010

25 Kitchen shortcuts

Reduce your time in the kitchen by following these helpful kitchen shortcuts compiled by Reader's Digest.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 9:13 AM MDT Aug 22, 2016

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Reduce your time in the kitchen by following these helpful kitchen shortcuts compiled by Reader's Digest.